ENGL4300

This short-term study abroad course will explore Shakespeare's theatre world in London and his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, allowing students to experience, first-hand, how Shakespeare's plays were shaped by his environment in his own day, and how they were modified, adapted, and marketed over the next four centuries. By attending performances at modern reconstructions of the Globe and Blackfriars, students will see how Shakespeare wrote his plays to capitalize on the strengths (and minimize the limitations) of the physical theatre. Students will also tour the areas where Shakespeare lived and worked, such as Southwark and Blackfriars, and visit historic landmarks, such as The Tower, Westminster Abbey, and the Inns of Court, that figure prominently in his plays. A side-trip to Stratford-upon-Avon will help students better understand his upbringing-they will visit his birthplace and grammar school-and also see where he returned to retire early, live extravagantly, and die. Stratford-upon-Avon is also the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the world-famous acting troupe devoted to promoting Shakespeare's works. A principal focus of this course is to consider why Shakespeare is more popular today that he has ever been. Seeing Shakespeare performed by a range of actors (A-list to amateur), in a variety of theatres (West End to fringe), in a range of dramatic styles (period performance to avant-garde) will bring to life how Shakespeare is transformed from the page to the stage, how his works have been suited to changing tastes across the centuries, and why, despite the challenges posed by the language and subject matter of his plays, he continues to have a commanding presence in theatres and classrooms across the world.

pre-req: instructor consent; admission to an approved study abroad program requires consent from the International Programs and Services Office

02497

Global Perspectives

Periodic Summer